You have no power to stop Rivers LG poll, South East South South Professionals warn police
By Jeffrey Agbo
The South East South South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN) has condemned the use of security forces especially the police to attempt to stop the Rivers State local government elections from being held on Saturday, October 5.
In the early hours of Friday, it was reported that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara stopped a move by the police to take over the premises of the state’s independent electoral commission acting on a so-called court order of September 30. According to the police, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered that the police should not allow nor participate in the local government election.
Reacting to the chaos in Rivers, the SESSPN said in a statement on Friday signed by its president, Hannibal Uwaifo, and general secretary, Ireke Onuma, that the ongoing events in the oil-rich state are a recipe for breakdown of law and order.
The group criticised the former governor of Rivers State and now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who is fingered to be behind the troubles in rivers.
“The leadership and members of the South East South South Professionals of Nigeria has watched with deep consternation the lawless activities of the Federal Government and her agencies particularly the Nigerian police working to destabilize the government and the smooth running of democratic institutions of Rivers State,” the statement said.
“The ongoing bizarre events in the state orchestrated by the former governor of Rivers State Mr Nyesom Wike under the supervision of the Federal Government and her agencies is not only a disgrace but a recipe for total breakdown of law and order, an ill wind that will eventually consume the present regime. If history is anything to go by ‘Those who the gods want to kill they first make them mad.’
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“Those who are stoking chaos in Rivers State must be reminded that the events that triggered the demise of the First Republic was the attempt to use federal might to muzzle and subdue the regional government albeit through unconstitutional means with the active use of the Nigerian police and other security agencies. This same forceful and irresponsible attempts often built around a single individual’s greed for power and money is the exact situation in Rivers State which must be challenged by all well-meaning Nigerians.
“With the ease with which politicians shop for and get court orders to destabilize the state, the founding fathers of Rivers State and all stakeholders must rise up, shame and say enough to these mercenaries whose only mandate is to steal, bribe and cause chaos.
“The Rivers State Government has the constitutional responsibility to organize local government elections in the state. The government has set a date in compliance with the judgment of the Supreme Court on elections into local councils. What role and which law gave the Nigerian police power to stop the elections? The total breakdown of professionalism and obedience to the rule of law has become a common thing under the present police leadership. This is a shame, an aberration and a comprehensive assault on the now dwindling democracy in Nigeria.
“The arrest, detention and intimidation of political opponents using the police and other security agencies is the most visible achievement of the present government. The police must understand that the will of the people has limits. They must stay away and back off from the local government elections which by law must hold in Rivers State as scheduled. The SESSPN stands with the government and people of Rivers State.”